TC observations and questions, and Labor Day

[sleepy]

Looking at our truck camper future: and wonder how long it will be before it can no longer be used.

Labor Day is the traditional end of summer.... how many of you are going to have your campers out this weekend... how many during the fall?

How long has it been since you used your camper at all, on the truck, and traveling or camping?

As we travel around the country we see truck campers up on saw horses or jacks that have been there for years. Are they too damaged to use? or has the owner just given up the RV lifestyle?

Some of the people use them in place to store extra hotdog wieners and beer but haven't had them on their trucks for years.

Campers deteriorate just as fast parked in front of the garage as they do when being used camping....

Our camper has been wonderful but it is taking a lot of tape to keep going. Sooner than later I have to come up with a fix. I am 75 years old I don't want to buy a new one.... The inside of the camper we have is in great shape.... everything works perfectly... it's that dadgone FILON skin that is failing.... it is 13 years old...

... worse still I don't see a need for "saving" a truck camper under the weather safety of our carport just to say we have it.

What will we do with all of the wonderful insides when the skin falls off?

We managed to get out 64 nights this year and are still planning the "next" trip. We have enjoyed 1245 nights totol in our Lance 1161.... we are just not ready to quit yet. But at least we feel like we are close to getting our moneys worth.

Maybe a Linex over spray would hold it together! All suggestions appreciated.... there just might be a spark in even the weirdest suggestion. Like... I'd go for one of Lances new nose cones if I could fit it on the front of our camper.

I hope all of you have a wonderful Labor's Day weekend in your camper doing fun things with family and friends.

Sleepy

[sleepy]

I'm probably down to 2 options to repair/maintain my camper:

1) vinyl skin.... I'm not too sure about how much ridigity it would add to the structure....

and.... would it keep the rain out while at the same time it kept the moisture we create from living in the camper inside the camper... make it worse?

2) aluminum skin... HELP!

I'd need to get the blue print from Lance for the structural members

and do what I did in 1969... find a mobile home manufacturer that would sell me some 20' x3' strips with pittsbug felt and rolled strengthing grooves

or... better still... maybe a trailer (tractor/trailer) manufacturer would sell me one piece sections of siding 20 foot long and 8' high

I need helpful suggestions on this one... post here or by PM

all suggestions encouraged.

3) because... my 3rd choice sucks.... it would be to just continue to use our camper until it falls completely apart.

Thanks for your previous and future input... you have me trying to think.

chet

[sleepy]

Thanks for sharing your plans for the Holiday and your suggestions for my truck camper fix.

I waited until I felt that most that had any comments had their say.

It is good to see that some folks are getting to use their RV's and I'm not surprized that some avoid the holiday crowds.... I fit into that group.

I agree with Trailgranny50... stay home, beat the fall rains ... she reports that she is working on a very tall chimney at home. Labor on labor day.

Anyway..... knowing the cold rains will be upon us soon and being a couple of years behind on projects at the house I recently decided to hell with it... told my Dr I was going back to working on projects.... he told me, "Don't lift refrigerators!"

I work at a project every day, all day...

Digging holes, planting trees or making flower beds in the yard... doing just the jobs I want.... I hire the grass cut.

and then there are the biggies.... The camper fixs are on my mind but Janet has been waiting patiently for me to hire someone to do a bathroom remodel...

Well... to heck with it, I hired me... I'm tearing out the bath room... new floor... removing the old cast iron tub, etc.... installing a full sized shower, fancy glass doors, new ceiling, insulation, a total makeover... doing as much preparation as I can as I wait on the materials on order... it's coming along nicely

While I wait I have replaced the storm door on the kitchen door at the back of the house.... an Anderson with three point dead bolt lock with break proof glass... a security blanket for Janet.... for when I get old.

On Labor day weekend...I replaced an exterior steel door that goes to a storage closet on the back of the house.... I still have to paint it to blend in with the siding... it was very heavy... it seems that most of my projects weigh more than I do (my weight has dropped from 220 to 166 pounds ( I mention it because I was the bigger me when I met most of you)

Funny thing... My hip and knee hurt a lot less when I'm busy.... and so.... I stay pretty busy.


MY Lance 1161 Truck camper: Repair or replace? Band aids?

Note: My 2003 Lance Manual says that my TC isn't meant to be used for full timeing... we haven't done that but we have used it about as much as anyone except those that are full timing. (1245 nights)

I believe that Lance knew that one of the major failing factors for the FILON was the humidity from breathing, cooking, showers and of course the ambiant air.... especially in the winters and at many of our beaches in the south east.

I talked with Mike Williams... Lance Customer Service Manager... we went over the details for a total re-skin and repair... we came up with a best guesstimate... a minimum of $15,000, and I do understand the whys.

Steve has made his metal skinned TC look beautiful... I built my first TC, it was home made in 1969/70.... I covered it with metal and it lasted 30 years. Problem here is that I'd have to remove the filon completely in order to find the studs for the screw fasteners. (but... I do have a big, sort of dry carport)

I mentioned the nosecone in my OP... then Eugarp brought it up... it would solve a small area.... and is worth investigating but it would be a big, beautiful bandaid.

My favorite suggestion from this thread is the Vinal full body shrink wrap... it is warrenteed for 7 years.... Wow! I'd be 82 years old. I wonder how strong it is? More info please.

Thanks for all of you that responded and those of you that are still thinking about it.

I really hope that everyone had a great holiday...

Chet

[Boatycall]

sleepy wrote:
how many of you are going to have your campers out this weekend... how many during the fall?

Me! Had it out 2 weeks ago for a week, just came back last night from a weekend outing, heading out agin next weekend to go play in the dirt

sleepy wrote:

How long has it been since you used your camper at all, on the truck, and traveling or camping?

16 hours ago

sleepy wrote:

Campers deteriorate just as fast parked in front of the garage as they do when being used camping....

Yes, true. Moral of the story - don't put it in a driveway, store it under cover - a good cover.

sleepy wrote:
The inside of the camper we have is in great shape.... everything works perfectly... it's that dadgone FILON skin that is failing.... it is 13 years old...

Yes, but Chet, you've used that TC more than a lot of us put together. You have lived the TC life most of us only dream to. 13 years and the places it has seen, I can only hope mine sees a quarter of that before it's time comes.

I use mine whenever I can, being employed of course that means weekends and vaca days. I spent over $20k for a place to park it out of the weather, I keep it waxed and do all the regular maintenance. I hope mine makes 13 years. I'm already at 3 and going strong.

Keep camping my friend, till you see the siding blow off in your mirrors.... And I'll even move my TC and let you park under cover if you want to come back by. 😉

[2BLAZERS]

We pretty much use our camper year round. I'm a CPA so the end of tax season mid-February to April 15th is usually the only time period we don't get out about once every two or three weekends.

[skipbee]

Camper Jeff,

That's an idea with merit! My son in in process of covering a large commercial vessel with vinyl as an alternative to very expensive paint.
They are including advertising to offset cost. Nascar has perfected the technique , it hangs on at 200 mph.

[Camper_Jeff___K]

TC in full front, sides, and rear vinyl full body wrap with 7 year lifespan.

From Truck Camper Magazine.
Cost around $2K.
Get it in plain white.

[DoneItAll]

We've made an attempt over the years to camp 3 weekends every two months throughout the year. Camper is on the truck year round unless I'm getting a load of gravel or wood pellets. This year has been tough with a new ankle for DW and my going back to school for a month this summer. Camper (2008 Lance 1191) seems to be holding up well with routine maintenance/inspection - hope it holds until I can really retire (for the third time) and really get away. Depending on the new ankle, we're off to Assateague next weekend.

John

[bookmaker]

Mine is on my truck, but currently sitting in our driveway looking sad.

We were supposed to go on a trip to southern Ohio for the weekend, but I came down sick mid week and am still trying to shake it.

Prior to that, we spend several days with it at Sun N Fun in Lakeland, FL in April, and a week at Airventure at Oshkosh WI in July.

Dale

[Buzzcut1]

42° on this lovely morning. Hot coffee was most enjoyable.

[skipbee]

You have used your rig as much as or more then anyone here,there, or anywhere. We lived aboard and sailed our ketch "Imagine", for 150,000 nautical miles and 23 years. I was planning a sail to Ireland after a refit and called an old friend, a marine surveyor, to suggest a plan for the rebuild. After review he stated that," when you bought your boat and sailed it, raced it and lived on it to the max, another bought one just like yours, kept it in a marina, sailed it only briefly in good weather and it could be purchased for a 5th of the cost of repairs, on "Imagine".

After a cost analysis, we parted out the yacht, bought our TC, and started a new chapter, our nimbleness being a factor too. These are our pleasure machines, safety and cost are the issues that determine useful life. A gifted antique car restorer friend says," Never love a car, it won't love you back." So we think rebuild or replace, which is less costly?

[Buzzcut1]

sitting here in the TC having a cold one. I'm parked at a local equestrian facillity doing my EMT gig. First ride begins at 7:30am. Even though its just 10 miles from the house I'd rather sleep in, put on my uniform, and step out the door at work than get up at 5am drive over here, set up and be ready to go by 7am.

[Bedlam]

deltabravo wrote:
This is the first summer that my camper hasn't spent all summer on the truck, thanks to some idiotic technicians at a local Chevy Dealer. I keep having to take the camper off to take the truck in to the dealer's collision center to fix stuff they screwed up, and to get them to acknowledge the damage they did, which they still deny.

About 11am, I spotted Bedlam headed west on I-90 as I was heading east.... this was just east of Sprague, WA.

I was working in Spokane all week and we are finishing off the weekend lakeside in Moses Lake before heading farther west to our home. It was nice to stay in a campground instead of a hotel plus our site had a deck on a hill side where we spent our evenings instead of a hotel bar. My daily commute to work was on motorcycle from the campground so my DW did not have worry about breaking camp or even being there without transportation.

[Eugarps]

Sleepy,

I wonder if Lance would re-skin the camper and put one of their fancy new noses on it? It's probably worth asking. I wonder how they'd put the skin on though? Just thinking out loud.

Bill

[Camper_Jeff___K]

Any pictures of the filon siding problems you are experiencing Sleepy?
My TC is a 2000 model year with no signs of deterioration of the siding. My TC is stored with the right side facing south. The only problem I've seen developing is the factory decals are cracking or splitting. The roof edge after this summers record long period of heat wave had the putty seal dried out and brittle. I dug that out, cleaned it really well, then resealed with Dicor. After a couple good rains now there is no evidence of water intrusion. As for any no matter how odd suggestions to repair the siding, perhaps you can have a plain white decal applied to the entire side in question by a professional installer. I know entire sides of vehicles are done with huge graphic decals that last for years. Crazy option number 2, sand the side then apply epoxy and a thin fiberglass matt then a gelcoat, sand and polish for finish.
Hope you find a solution and enjoy the traveling you folks do so well.

We got out about 20 days this summer but we do a lot of camping in the fall when the parks get a lot less use and the forests are less crowded. Staying home this weekend. It's too much of a zoo on the road Friday and Monday.